Marvel is working with NYC DDC to design a new recreation center in Walter Gladwin Park on behalf of the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation. The 37,000sf community center will be located within the park along East Tremont Avenue, a busy commercial corridor, and will provide space for inclusive and universally accessible fitness amenities and programming for all ages. The new facility will be a warm and welcoming space, fostering wellness and accessible for all, where the diverse Tremont community can gather and connect.

The building will serve as a bridge from the urban fabric into the park and, with its mass timber structure and striated brick façade, will be at home within the rugged park. Utilizing glue-laminated timber for the columns and beams and cross-laminated timber for the structural slabs, in lieu of concrete or steel, is our most impactful tool for reducing embodied carbon in the building construction.

The facility will also have a cistern to collect rainwater for re-use within the building, and with a green roof and solar panels, this community center will far surpass sustainability requirements and regulations.

Made of mass timber, Walter Gladwin Recreation Center will also feature glulam columns, beams, and CLT slabs, offering warmth and natural beauty while significantly reducing embodied carbon.

Areas, such as the Urban Plaza at E. Tremont Avenue, address the site's grade changes by creating an accessible pathway to the main entrance of the Community Center.

A meandering pathway weaves through the Event Lawn, transforming a simple route into an engaging journey. The Neighborhood Park respects and enhances the park's current uses, offering a more intimate space for both individual reflection and community gatherings.

Together, these spaces create a harmonious blend of urban design and natural beauty, emphasizing our commitment to integrating ecological principles into every aspect of the landscape.